Page 24 - Biblical Ethics Course

In addition, God approves of and delights in his own moral character. He is the One who is the “blessed” God,
that is, the One who is supremely happy in himself (1 Tim. 1:11; 6:15). In fact, when his word declares that he is
“good,” it implies that he considered his own character to be worth of approval.

2. God Approves of Creatures Who Conform to His Moral Character. Many other passages in Scriptures shows
that God desires and approves moral character. Just as God is love, just, merciful, faithful, truthful, holy, and so
forth, so he desires that we act in ways that are loving, just, merciful, faithful, truthful, holy and so forth. These
are the qualities that God approves of in himself, and therefore these are the moral qualities that he approves of
in his creatures as well. Just as his delight to contemplate his own moral excellence, he delights to see his moral
excellence reflected to his creatures he has made.

Here are some biblical passages showing that God delights to see his character reflected in our lives:

But as he called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct. (1Pet. 1:15)

Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful. (Luke 6:36)

We love because he first loved us. (1John 4:19)
Therefore, be imitators of God, as beloved children. (Eph. 5:1)

You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect. (Matt. 5:48)

Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices and put on the new
self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. (Col. 3:9-10)

Paul’s idea is that our “new self” is becoming more like God, and therefore we should imitate God’s truthfulness.
Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be as not yet appeared; but we know that when
he appears, we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. And everyone who thus hopes in him
purifies himself as he is pure. (1John 3:2-3)

Putting this in another way, we are to live in the same way that Jesus lived, to walk as he walked:

Be imitator of me, as I am of Christ. (1Cor. 11:1)

And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us. (Eph. 5:2)
Whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked. (1John 2:6)

For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that
you might follow in his steps. (1Pet. 2:21)

3. God’s abiding moral standards apply to all people in all cultures in all periods
of history

If God’s moral standards flow from his unchanging moral character, then it follows
that these are the moral standards by which God will hold all people everywhere
accountable. Several passages indicate that God will one day be the judge of the
entire earth:

Shall not the Judge of all earth do what is just? (Gen. 18:25)

23